


Chambers of Secrets.

by Theatrebaby88



Category: Silk (TV)
Genre: F/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2014-03-18
Updated: 2014-03-18
Packaged: 2018-01-16 03:53:12
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,454
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/1330933
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Theatrebaby88/pseuds/Theatrebaby88
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Billy has a secret from his past that has been forced to come to light. Harriet has a secret she is hiding from the team. Can these two put their professional differences aside and show a bit of human kindness?</p>
            </blockquote>





	Chambers of Secrets.

**Author's Note:**

> Some swearing.

It was getting very, very late. The clock in the office wall read 'Two Thirty-four." Billy Lamb rubbed his temples as he took another drink of the light brown whiskey in the crystal glass. "Just can't get my bloody head around this." He said to himself as he ran his hand over the photo he had been sent.

"Kicked out of the pub, Billy?" Came a too familiar voice. Billy nearly gritted his teeth as he slowly looked up from the photo and glanced at the doorway. There she stood, Greyish-blue blazer neat and buttoned, blouse pure white and straight and that God all annoying pencil skirt that almost screamed "Look at my arse." Any time Harriet 'Harpy' Hammond bent over the bleeding table!

"Kicked out of the Polo club, Harriet?" He replied, lifting the glass in a slight raise before taking a swig. "What's got you here so early?" He asked, raising an eyebrow.

"Couldn't really sleep that well. What's kept you here so late?" Harriet replied as she walked into the office and sat down at her computer. She pressed the power button and waited til it booted up. "What's that?" Harriet asked as she glanced at the photo on Billy''s desk.

"It's...nothing, Harriet. Nothing that concerns you, or the chambers." Billy replied as he lifted the photo and placed it into his pocket, closing his eyes for a second. 

"Will it affect your work?" Harriet asked him, not looking away from the screen as she typed in her login details.

"I TOLD YOU! IT'S NOTHING TO DO WITH YOU OR THE DAMN CHAMBERS!" Billy yelled suddenly, his eyes wide.

Harriet snapped her head round to look at Billy as he raised his voice. She hadn't been expecting him to yell like that. 

Billy took a long drink and shut his eyes. "Sorry..I.." He opened his eyes when he felt a hand lay gently on his shoulder and he looked up to see Harriet was no longer at her desk, but standing beside him, her hand comfortingly on his shoulder. 

"Maybe it isn't my concern, or that of chambers, but it is clearly something that is affecting you, and in affecting you to such a degree that you will sit up in your office all night, drinking whiskey and seemingly pouring over things, then it may well affect chambers...and in that sense, it affects Matha, Clive, Amy, John and Caroline, even Bethany...all the juniors. I know they matter to you, Billy.." Harriet told him calmly.

Billy took a breath, and for the first time since the stunner with the attitude turned up, Billy said something he never, ever thought he would. "You're right."

"What!" Harriet exclaimed, eyes wide. "Billy?" 

The older man shrugged, "You're right..they do matter." He smiled sadly and got a second glass, "Join me?"

Harriet shook her head, "No. No I don't feel that drinking when I'm pr...paring for Martha's big trial is..the best Idea." She told him, almost nervously. "Cuppa instead?" She offered.

Billy cocked his head to one side, "You sure you're alright Harriet?" Twenty minutes ago he wouldn't have given a shit if she was alright, but for whatever reason, she had tried to comfort him when he got angry. And he had needed that.

"Yeah...but you're not, are you?" She asked him, her voice showing a genuine concern.

Billy swallowed and went into his pocket. He brought out an old photo, in it was a man, and a small boy. "That's my old man." He told her as he poked the picture twice with his index finger.

"And the boy? Is he you?" Harriet asked as she surveyed the old, sepia photo. 

"No.." Billy replied sadly, "He's my brother...was..my brother...he disowned me over twenty years ago."

Harriett swallowed, "Oh God..may I ask why?"

"I..slept with his wife." He told the woman, looking away as he did. He was ashamed, and he had been since it happened. "Now he's back. He want's to see me."

"Don't you think you owe him at least an explanation?" Harriett enquired.

Billy glared, "It's not your business to advise me!" He told her sternly. "I gave him an explanation but he wouldn't accept it, he wouldn't understand!" He added, his tone anger.

Harriet stepped back, "Alright. I was only trying to help but if you're going to be like that you can sod off!" She told him firmly and sat back down.

The pair sat in silence as Billy slowly sipped the whiskey, filling the glass once. Harriet was leaving her desk frequently, coming back looking a little rougher each time.

"You sure you're alright Harriett?" Billy asked, frowning slightly.

"I..I'm fine, Billy, really I'm alright." She replied as she sat down at her desk, putting her head in her arms. She looked up as she felt a hand on her shoulder, "Billy?" She queried as she looked up at her colleague.

"You're less pleasant than this normally, and if I'm not mistaken, you've been off in those bathrooms puking up, now, what's the matter with you, eh?" Billy asked her. He could talk, keeping his cancer from those he loved, but whatever this was with Harriett, seemed odd.

She took a deep breath. She hadn't wanted to tell anyone yet...at all. "I..I'm pregnant, Billy." She told him, her voice ccracking slightly. 

Billy just stopped and then he squeezed her shoulder, "And the father?"

"I don't know who he is...he was one of a string." She admitted, sounding ashamed and embarrassed. 

Billy sighed, "How far gone are you?" 

"Fourteen weeks. I..got a scan but, I can't keep this baby." She told him, her voice breaking again as she blinked back tears. It should have been easier.

"I..came to work early because I'm booked in tomorrow morning for...for a termination. I needed to take my mind off it." That was Harriet's breaking point, and she felt tears fall down her cheeks.

Billy shook his head and went over and lifted a tissue for her. "I can't advise you on this one, Harriett, but I know who can."

**** Six months later***

 

The cafe was buzzing with people, the scent of earth and damp lingered in the air. Billy sat at a small brown table, a hot mug of brown tea in his hands, he glanced at the clock, five forty PM. Billy then glanced at the man in front of him, a face he had seen every week for the past six months. "Well, Gary, how's the missus now?" 

Gary gave a smile similar to Billy's. "She's doing good bruv. Grandkids are off school this week, so that'll be fun. Half term break and all. How are you finding being back as Clerk." 

Billy smiled, "You mean now I've been given the all clear? Now I can run Shoe lane as I see fit? I'm loving it Gary, I'm really loving it." He felt his phone vibrate in his pocket and picked it up, his smiled faded, then returned in a spreading grin. "That's great Martha..that's really great."

___

 

Martha Costello exhaled as she heard the pained scream, she felt the other woman's hand tighten around hers again, tighter this time as if every muscle was contracting. Then there was a relieved sigh and the sound of a newborn's wail echoed through the room. 

A midwife wrapped the screaming, wriggling bundle in a white blanket and handed it to it's mother, who was now leaning back against the headrest, her breath coming in shallow pants. The midwife looked at Harriet as she placed the baby on her chest. "Congratulations, Harriet, it's a little boy." 

Harriet looked at her son, he had a mop of red hair, huge grey eyes and her nose, he had a dimple on his chin and he was just gorgeous. 

Martha smiled as she looked at her friend, seeing how her advice had helped transform an unsure, frightened and pregnant colleague into a good friend, and a new mother. 

Harriet looked from her son to Martha, "Thank you, for all you've done the past few months." She told her, though she sounded exhausted. 

Martha shook her head and put her hand on Harriet's arm; "It's been fine...have you thought of a name?"

Harriet looked back at the baby in her arms. "Yes...He's called William Martin."

Martha beamed and picked up her phone, "Shall I tell the rest?"

Harriet nodded slightly, "Yeah.."

Martha went outside and dialed a number. "Billy. Harriet's had the baby..a little boy...Five forty seven...no..no he's a big boy ten pound one. ..Yeah, she's called him William Martin Hammond."


End file.
